Life Goes On
by gracie5412
Summary: Hermione x Charlie. The War is over and the three find themselves having to get real lived devoid of the fear that the war had brought them. As Hermione does this tension begins and she is driven into the arms of someone she would have never imagined.
1. Chapter 1

**Life Goes On.  
Chapter One.**

The war was done, the bodies buried, their memories honoured with two large marble memorials erected the name of each soul lost carved into the base by hand this included Hermione's parents, who despite her best efforts were found by deatheaters and, when they realised they could not obtain Harry Potter's whereabouts from them, were killed. One monument stood in the middle of Diagon Alley, the other in the Hogwarts grounds where the war had finally ended.

And for the survivors life had to be picked up once more and the broken shards pieced together. For Hermione, Ron and Harry that involved returning to school, just for a brief time though, under Hermione's insistence they had all sat the N.E.W.Ts that they had missed when they dropped out of school. With all the experience they had gained in the past year the trio, of course, passed with flying colours.

They then returned to the Burrow.

"It's odd isn't it?" Ron piped up one evening while they were sat in the lounge in front of a crackling fire.

"What is?" Hermione asked, looking up from the book resting in her lap.

"Not doing anything." He sighed, "For the past year we've been on a hunt for horcruxes, and before that we got into no end of trouble, we always had a mission, a cause. Now we're just sat here, we haven't even got homework!"

"Ron, I think we deserve the break mate." Harry grinned, "And if you miss homework so much you could always owl Ginny, I'm sure she'd be happy to send you some of hers, from what she said in her last letter it's really mounting up now she's doing her N.E.W.Ts."

Ron grimaced, "I don't think I miss it that much yet. But really, what are we going to do next?"

"Get lives I suppose," Hermione sighed, "We can't sit around here forever."

"Get lives." Ron repeated with wonder, "Hmmm, I suppose that will have to do."

Hermione knew what Ron was getting at, for seven years Voldemort had dominated their existence, yes they had had lives but they had been jam packed with adventure, with philosophers stones, three headed dog, with Basilisks, and Dementors. To go from having your life in very serious danger on a yearly basis to being sat at home with a nice book, however welcomed it was, was a bit of a shock to the system.

* * *

And so the next morning she was up in time to meet the owl at the window and relive it of the weighty newspaper it carried. She spread it out across the table and flicked straight to the jobs section, she had always been happiest when she was working, she resolved, so the best way to start her new life was to find herself a job. Her only trouble now was, with grades as outstanding as hers, almost every career path was open to her, and she was having a tough time deciding what it was she wanted to do.

In fact it wasn't until Ron ambled into the kitchen planted a kiss to her temple and scanned the page from over her shoulder that she found it, or rather it was found for her.

"Department of Prevention of Cruelty to Magical Creatures," He read aloud, "That sounds right up your street Hermione, it'll be like _spew _but with paperwork to go with it."

"It's S.P.E.W Ronald." She corrected automatically.

But his words got her thinking, maybe he was right, maybe it would be right up her street, she did after all despise the thought of other creatures being treated unfairly and fought their side whenever she could. So why shouldn't she get paid for her passion?

"You know what Ronald, you might be right." She smiled

He froze, slice of toast halfway to his mouth forgotten, "You what?"

"I said you might be right about the job, I think I'm going to apply for it. What's wrong?"

"I'm just not used to you saying that is all."

Getting up from where she was sitting she crossed to room and wrapped her arms around him, "That, my darling," She smiled and kissed him briefly, "Is because usually you're talking a load of old rubbish."

With that she picked up the paper and left the room, leaving Ron alone with his still forgotten breakfast.

* * *

Harry also had plans with his life and a trip to the Ministry started those plans off. Once he had all the relevant documents and official letters he needed he took the first portkey he could to Godric's Hollow. With nervous anticipation he approached his former house, this time not stopping at the rusting gate but pushing it open and advancing up the rubble filled path. No longer were their protective enchantments to prevent him from pushing open the door and walking inside. He had seen to that with his visit that morning. After being sure that nothing was going to stop him he rolled up his sleeves, pulled out his wand and set to work, his new task to begin his new life was to rebuild the house he had spent such a short period of time in. He was going to rebuild his life and it started with getting him and Ginny a proper place to live.

* * *

Only Ron, the one who had been complaining, was left unsure as to what it was he wanted to do, he had stumbled through school, picking his subjects for their ease, or at least for the fact he could copy off Hermione, he had never really looked ahead but now the future he hadn't bothered to think about was upon him and he was left feeling unsure and alone.

Unfortunately it was Hermione who had to deal with the raw end of these feelings, every night as they lay in bed together snuggled up in his childhood bedroom he would rant and groan and moan about how few opportunities life threw his way and how he felt he had no purpose, no reason for living, how it wasn't fair.

At first Hermione tried to be supportive, telling him not to worry, something would come up and then he would feel differently, but her sympathy could only stretch so far. So on the evening she returned home from her job interview declaring happily "I got the job, they offered it to me right away!" and Ron stormed out of the house in a sulk, she wasn't in too much of a position to feel sorry for him.

Racing after him she caught him by the arm and pulled him to a standstill.

"What was that all about?" She demanded.

His only reply being a shrug served only to add fuel to the fire.

"You will speak to me Ronald! I come home with good news and you can't even pretend to be happy for me! So tell me why my new job got such a frosty reception."

"It's alright for you with your job and Harry with his house, but what about me? What do I get? I'm stuck here all day doing absolutely nothing, but you're too busy with your new job to care!" He yelled, his flushed cheeks almost matching the colour of his hair.

"Oh I see!" Hermione exclaimed, "Here I was thinking I'd come home and we could celebrate together, but of course I realise now how wrong I was, thinking this could be in any way about me! Of course not, it's about you isn't it Ron? It's always about you! How on earth could I have made that mistake?"

"Don't get all sarcastic with me. I'm just frustrated, my life isn't going anywhere." He sighed sadly.

"And have you ever thought that you could be doing something about that?" she asked furiously,

"And do what, face it Hermione, whatever I do my life is going to be as rubbish as it is now!"

"I am so sick of you going on about how rubbish your life is Ronald, because you know what? I'm part of your life! Remember that? So am I that rubbish too? I'm just part of your crappy little life am I? Well you know what; you can take your life and shove it for all I care because I am done!"

She made to leave, walking towards the gate at the end of the garden.

"Hermione wait!" He called after her and to his relief she stopped.

Turning to face him, tears swimming in her eyes, she spoke softly but the anger was still in her voice, "I should blame myself really, this has been a long time coming Ron, I can't have a relationship with someone who loves himself more than he does me and you are one of the most self-centred people I have ever met."

Before he could get another word in she had turned on the spot and with a sharp _crack _dissaperated. She reappeared seconds later just inches away from where Harry was stood, tears streaming down her face.

"Hermione! What's wrong?" He exclaimed, dropping the section of wall he had been levitating back into place from within the house.

"Ron and I broke up." She sobbed.

He rushed forward and enveloped her in a brotherly hug holding her until her sobs subsided and she was able to recount the whole story to him.

"So what do you think will happen now?" Harry asked when she had finished.

"What do you mean?" She sniffed, wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

"Well do you want to get back together with him?"

"I don't think I can Harry, not after this, I've always known he's been a little selfish, but for the past few weeks he's just been getting worse and worse, I'm sick of being the person he moans to, I think he forgot I was his girlfriend, I need love, real love, not just someone to look after, I'm not his mother, but that's what I feel like. I can't have that for the rest of my life." She sighed sadly, she always had, and in some way would still love Ron, but as the time had passed there was no longer happiness between the two, it seemed they merely stayed together out of habit and the fear of being alone. After the war was over and they were no longer fearing their lives the pressure had been lifted for them to find love and with this they found their feelings weren't an intense as they once thought.

Both she and Harry were silent for a while.

"Harry?" She piped up finally, "Would you mind if I stayed in Grimmauld Place for a while?"

"Of course not, all the rooms are made up stay as long as you want to." He smiled.

"Thanks Harry," She smiled, and then took the time to look around the place, "It's really starting to take shape, I can't believe how well you're doing!"

"Yeah, it's tough but I'm getting there, hopefully the walls will be done in a few weeks and then I can start on clearing out the inside and making it liveable."

Harry had yet to step foot inside the house further than the hallway, partly because of the rubble from the collapsed room upstairs and partly for anxiety over what he would find.

"You should get the guys that rebuilt Hogwarts in," Hermione smiled, "They finished rebuilding the whole castle within a week so I hear."

"They certainly would help, but I quite like doing it using my own wand, it feels right doing it this way."

"Yeah, I know," She smiled slightly, "Anyway I should get going, I need to be in work tomorrow, so don't want to be late. Thanks for listening Harry."

"Anytime. I suppose I should be getting back to the Burrow, I'll let them know you're safe."

They both got up from the wall they had been sitting on and made to leave to where they would be staying the night.

"Oh and Hermione?" Harry called just as she was about to go, she turned to face him, "Congratulations on your new job."

She smiled before turning on the spot and disappearing from view.


	2. Chapter 2

**Life Goes On.  
Chapter Two. **

A month had passed and Hermione remained in Grimmauld Place, visits from Harry and owls from Ginny her only correspondence with her friends. Other than that her time was taken up with working. She got in early and came home late, anything to save her coming back to the empty dusty house that only served to increase her feelings of loneliness.

_I'm thinking of going back to him... _She had admitted in her last letter to Ginny, _it's just so lonely being here on my own, I may not have been completely happy with Ronald but surely it would be better than this?_

She had not seen Ron since the night of their break up and was missing him, or if not him at least the idea of him, she missed the arms around her at night and the hand holding her own while they were out. She had gotten into the habit of seeing him every day and for that to be gone felt strange.

It was these thoughts that fuelled her to write him a note one lonely evening after returning from work and asked him to come to Grimmauld Place so they could talk. He did so the following evening.

They stood alone in the kitchen, an awkward silence expanding in front of them; Hermione peered about quickly searching for anything that could inspire her into speaking.

"Would you like a coffee?" She asked finally and after a nod from Ron flicked her wand at the kettle upon the stove, "Please sit down." She invited and they both did so.

A few minutes passed until the kettle began whistling and with another flick of her wand it poured itself into two awaiting mugs already filled with instant coffee granules, milk and sugar.

"Thanks." Ron mutter as he picked up the mug and took a loud slurp of the hot liquid, making Hermione wince, she had always hated that noise.

"How have you been?" She asked when she realised he was going to offer no form of conversation.

He shrugged that irritating shrug he always did, she sighed, "Look Ron, I feel bad about the way we left things between us, it was wrong of me to leave without resolving things."

Again his only response was a shrug infuriating Hermione. "Anyway, Ronald, all I wanted to say was that I hope that even if we can't be together I would like us to still be friends. Do you think that would be possible?"

"Lonely are you?" He sneered leaving Hermione quite shocked.

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"Well it's been a month, so I figure the only reason you're talking to me now is that you're lonely."

The bitterness and truthfulness of Ron's words brought tears to Hermione's eyes, she remained mute.

Ron didn't seem to notice and carried on regardless. "And that's not my fault Hermione, it's yours, just because you want to forget what happened in the war and pretend to have a _normal_ life doesn't mean that we can all move on so quickly. I lost a brother remember?"

"Yes Ron I remember, but you seem to have forgotten that I lost both of my parents! So don't you start thinking that you get the monopoly on grief. We all lost people Ron but do you think it honours their memories to use them as an excuse to sit around and do nothing? As much as Fred liked to slack where he could I don't think he would have appreciated his younger brother using his death as a reason to do the same." The high emotion of the topic was bringing anger to her voice and further tears to her eyes, "And it's not the fact that you're not doing anything, it's the fact that every single day you would come to me moaning about it, like you expected me to sort it out for you, I'm tired of looking after you Ron."

"Looking after me?" Ron asked incredulously, "Is that what you've been doing? I was under the impression that you were flouncing off and sorting your life out, forgetting all about me."

"I think I'd like you to leave now Ron," Hermione sighed, burying her head in her hands, "I had hoped that after everything we'd been through that we could have stayed friends, but I guess that you don't want to do that, so there's very little point carrying on for arguments sake."

Wordlessly Ron stood up from the table and left the room, Hermione followed a few seconds later, just in time to see him throw Floo powder into the crackling fire in the dining room and exit through it.

With a sigh she retired to the living room sinking down into one of the armchairs, that hadn't at all gone as she planned, although, she mused with a wry smile, at least she didn't miss him anymore. Grabbing her briefcase, she pulled out a series of folders and set to work reviewing the new policies that were being set on the handling of unicorns.

She was really enjoying her new work she had a range of things to oversee from laws and policies to reprimands for people who ignored said laws. At the moment she was only doing paper work but the job offered her many field opportunities, which her boss had promised would be coming her way very soon.

It wasn't until the clock chimed midnight that she decided to call it a night; work had served its purpose as a method of distraction from the situation between her and Ron. Now, she decided it was time to sleep.

Ron however had no intention of sleeping; he was propped up against the bar of the leaky cauldron downing shot after shot of firewhiskey he had been there for two hours and was very clearly past his limit, finally Tom refused to give him anything other than water and Ron stumbled off his chair and out into the street where the promptly walked straight into Harry.

"Steady on mate," Harry said as he grabbed Ron under the arms, and flinging one of them over his own shoulders served as his friend's support. "Your mum is having kittens; you've been out hours, let's get you home so we can calm her down and sober you up."

"It's all over mate" Ron slurred as they made their way back into the pub to make use of the fireplace, "She don't want me no more."

He gave a sad little hiccup followed by a loud belch.

"Let's get you to bed; I'm sure things will look brighter in the morning." Harry said firmly as they stepped into the green flames.

Even in his drunken stupor Ron didn't believe his best friend's words, it was all over and he had done nothing to help matters by arguing again. Deep down even he knew that Hermione was right, _as usual, _he added with irritation. Even before these fresh arguments had started they had had problems, but being him he had chosen to ignore them and hoped that they would simply go away. Of course they had not.

And now it seemed that Hermione was out of his life forever, just as she had said to him, it didn't look like there was a chance of them even being friends after the heated words between them.

Hermione awoke early and had enough time to pen a letter to Ginny to get her up to speed on the goings on.

_Gin, _

_I had a moment of weakness last night and asked Ron to come round so we could talk. I suppose part of me was hoping that we'd get back together. _

_Thankfully your prat of a brother was very rapid in changing my mind; yet again we had an argument. _

_Somehow I don't see us making amends anytime soon and I think that friendship may me out of the question. _

_I really wish it hadn't ended up this way, now my parents are gone you Harry and Ron are the only family I've got. _

_Anyway I must __go,__ some of us have to work for a living. _

_I hope school is going well and you're not finding seventh year too difficult._

_Hope to hear from you soon, _

_Hermione. _

Hermione dropped the letter into the mail room in the Ministry on the way up to her office and got to work for the day. When she got to a desk she found a note had been left for her, in her boss's untidy scrawl she was instructed –

_Read up on dragon rights and law_

_New policies to be put into place and I'm putting you on the case _

_Do some research you'll need it when you get back after Christmas_


	3. Chapter 3

**Life Goes On.  
Chapter Three. **

_Dear Hermione, _

_Finally Christmas is here! My case has been packed for weeks, as much as I love Hogwarts I can't wait to get home, it's just not the same here without you guys. _

_The whole family funny expects you to come to ours for the holidays and you can't use my stupid brother as an excuse to do otherwise, for all I care he can spend the whole holiday in his bedroom sulking. _

_Please don't let him be the reason for you spending Christmas alone. _

_Looking forward to being home soon!_

_Ginny. _

Hermione had received letters from Harry and Mrs Weasley to a similar effect and finally she concluded that she really had no choice in the matter, when the Weasley women made their minds up about something there was no arguing with them.

From the letter Mrs Weasley had sent she was expected to be at the Burrow in two days time, with a sigh she got up from the chair she was sitting at and entered the room that she had claimed as her bedroom. She began to pack, in some ways she was rather glad of the persistence of her friends, the thought of spending the holidays alone had been hanging over her for the past few days, and it wasn't a prospect that appealed to her too much. Granted, she was nervous about seeing Ron again; from his reaction last time she had tried to speak to him she didn't imagine that he would be too excited to have her in his house.

The following day was spent in a flurry of activity for Hermione for, however nervous she was about spending so much time in such a close proximity to her ex-boyfriend, she was also greatly looking forward to being so close to her friends, this had prompted her to go shopping for Christmas presents. As much as she usually dreaded the thought of having to buy things for her friends she found that this year, with a little more cash from work, she could get each of her friends something that they would really like instead of just what she could afford like she had on previous years, the fear of mistake and buying something that they wouldn't like was gone, relieving Hermione greatly.

Late into the afternoon she returned to Grimmauld Place, laden with shopping bags thoroughly exhausted. However her work wasn't over yet, spreading out all her purchases on the floor around her she then set to the task of wrapping them, whilst scolding herself for leaving it all so late.

But finally she was finished and able to go to bed, her reading for that night being a weighty volume on 'Dragon Handling Law' she had borrowed from the office before finishing for her two weeks off. Her view on 'light' holiday reading still, evidentially, being far different to everyone else's.

Mid afternoon of the following day found Hermione grabbing a handful of Floo powder and stepping into her fireplace her bag alongside her.

"The Burrow" She stated clearly and firmly and she was off, grate after grate flashing before her eyes before finally she came to a stop and stepped out into the Weasley's kitchen, dusting herself down.

"Hermione dear!" Mrs Weasley exclaimed, "I'm so glad that you could make it."

The older woman rushed forward to embrace the younger in a warm embrace before turning to the doorway and shouting "Will one of you boys come and help Hermione with her bags!"

Thudding could be heard as four pairs of feet came traipsing down the stairs and Ginny, Harry, George and Bill entered the kitchen and each greeted Hermione in the same manner as their mother.

Bill picked up her bag and carried it up into the room she would be staying it that had been Percy's before he had moved out. This was where Hermione had been staying since the end of the war, before she had left to stay in Grimmauld Place, Harry had taken over Ginny's room and Ron had remained in his own. When Hermione had got to the room she would be staying in she was surprised to see that another bed hadn't been set up in the room, with George and Charlie also being home she had assumed that she would be sharing with Ginny.

When she asked the girl about this it brought a blush to Ginny's cheeks and a smile to her face, "Well, Harry and I thought that we'd both be more comfortable in my room."

"And what does your mother think about this arrangement?" Hermione asked, she couldn't imagine Molly condoning those sorts of things to be going on beneath her roof.

"Well...we haven't exactly told her, she thinks that Harry will be sharing with Ron like he usually does. And seeing as he can apperate now it's not going to be hard to make her believe that that's where he really is."

"Ginny Weasley you sneaky young thing! There'll be hell to pay if you two get found out." Hermione laughed.

Ginny simply shrugged and grinned, settling herself down on the bed as Hermione began to move her clothes from her bag to a chest of drawers.

"With Charlie coming home tonight and Fleur will get here later, and possibly even Percy and Penelope, Mum will have her hands full she's not going to notice one little change to the sleeping arrangement."

"If I'm having Percy's room where are he and Penelope going to stay?" Hermione questioned, trying to work out how on earth the Burrow was going to fit that many people inside over the week.

"Percy and Penelope and Bill and Fleur will be going home after tea and coming back for Christmas dinner on Wednesday, so there's only six of us lot and mum and dad here."

"That makes life easier then," Hermione smiled, "So how's school going?"

"Not too bad. I'm getting loads of homework, but we expected that. It's pretty boring really, not even a slight hint of some evil plot somewhere. It's almost like having a normal life."

"And you're sad about that are you? You sound just like your brother."

Ginny faked a look of pain and threw a pillow at Hermione, "Now that is just a horrible thing to say."

A knock to the door interrupted the girls' laughter and Ron begrudgingly entered the room.

"Mum says lunch is ready." He muttered before swiftly leaving again.

"You're right Ginny." Hermione said as they got up to leave the room, "It was a horrible thing to say, you could never be that much of a prat."

The weekend and Monday passed with the only large event being Charlie's arrival, and a slight apple pie explosion down to George forgetting where he had left a bag of explosives. But before they knew it Christmas eve was upon them and they all awoke to find that the fields outside had been covered in the blanket of fluffy snow while they slept.

Everyone pulled on clothes, hats, scarves and gloves and raced outside to commence a snowball fight.

"Harry, Hermione, Charlie against me, Ginny and Ron." George yelled as they got to the field, "Come on people this is war! You have ten minutes to build your fort and then there will be no mercy!"

The teams ran to opposite sides of the field to begin their constructions and gather snowballs and soon the fight was underway. Icy snow flew every which way hitting their targets with a soft thud, while laughter filled the air.

A snowball hit Hermione's left shoulder and she bent down to scoop up some more snow to send back at the culprit. But she didn't see the rock that was underneath the thin layer and she scraped off layers of the skin off her knuckles. Crying out in pain she raised her hand to her mouth to capture the blood that began to trickle from it. Charlie, being the closet to her rushed over and took her hand in his he took out his wand and touched it to the scrape and muttered some words that Hermione couldn't make out, instantly the cuts vanished and the pain subsided.

Running his thumb across her knuckles he asked quietly, "Better now?"

"Much." She smiled, gazing up into his eyes.

Another snowball sailed past Hermione's head and Charlie pulled her into his arms, they pulled apart seconds later with embarrassed laughter but Hermione couldn't help but glance back at him continually throughout the day.

Thankfully she didn't see too much of Ron throughout the day and whenever she did have to it was around the rest of the family so no arguments occurred. But neither did any reconciliations, Hermione hoped that while she was so close to him they would be able to become friends again, but now she was actually at the Burrow she wasn't sure if that would actually happen or not.

That evening Hermione settled down in the living room in front of the crackling fire with her weighty volume, it was late and she believed everyone else had gone to bed already so when Charlie entered the room she jumped violently, causing the book to topple from her lap where it had been resting.

"Merlin! Charlie you scared the life out of me." She exclaimed, hand resting over rapidly beating heart.

"Sorry Hermione didn't think anyone else was up." He said as he bent down to pick up her book for her, "Dragon law? What are you reading up on that for?"

"It's for work; they said I'd need it on a new project when I get back after Christmas, so I thought I'd brush up on it before I go back."

"You should have just asked me," Charlie grinned, "I'm a walking text book on dragons, and I'm far better to look at."

Laughing, Hermione closed the book and set it aside on the coffee table.

"Go on then, Mr Weasley," She prompted, "amaze me."

For a good hour Hermione and Charlie sat up talking, laughing and joking as they went along, but finally the clock struck two and they concluded that they better go to bed seeing as they would probably be made to get up early to open presents.

And of course they were right at six thirty George and Ginny bounded into every room shouting "It's Christmas! It's Christmas! It's Christmas!" their voices amplified with the spell they had cast upon themselves.

With slight grumbles the household got up, but soon the excitement had infected them all and they rushed downstairs and all sat around the tree to begin opening presents.

Hermione received a book on the history of Wizard and Goblin relations off Ron, a Charm bracelet containing actual charms you could cast upon people off Harry, a golden eagle quill off Ginny and a box of homemade fudge off Mrs Weasley. She was happy as was everyone else with their gifts.

George leafing through a book on, 100 hilarious ways to jinx your friends, stopping every now and then to test one out on Ron or Ginny, between jinxes Ron was setting up his new, marble figured chess set so that he and Harry could have a game. Ginny was too busy threatening George to pay too much attention to her gifts and Mrs Weasley was already too busy making breakfast to break them up. Charlie and Mr Weasley were in the kitchen too tinkering with the car engine Mr Weasley had received.

The rest of the day passed in a warm blur full of delicious food and fun and games. Hermione even managed to get a few civil words out of Ron at the dinner table, so all in all she surmised that it had been a very good day.

As the days went on Hermione began to dread the day she had to return to Grimmauld Place and go back to work, as much as she enjoyed it she would miss the warm and homely feel that the Burrow possessed. But sure enough the final day of the Holiday arrive and Hermione repacked her case and returned to the large empty house she had come to know as home. She knew she could have quite easily asked to remain at the Burrow, but thought it not wise, no matter how civil she and Ron had been over the week she was sure arguments would arise eventually, space is what the former couple needed.

So instead she lit fires to warm the house and prepared for her first day back to work.

* * *

Hey everyone, thanks for reading. Please leave a reveiw and let me know what you think so far! 


	4. Chapter 4

**Life Goes On.  
Chapter Four. **

"Hermione?" Her boss called her from his office, "Can I have a word please?"

Looking slightly shocked she quickly got up and crossed the room to Mr Harrison's office.

"Yes sir?" she asked with trepidation as she took her seat.

"This new project, there's a bit more to it than we originally thought."

"Oh yes? What would that be?" Hermione perked up slightly, the thought of a more complex project seemed like a good prospect.

"Originally it was just going over the dragon rights, making sure that they were up to date and covered everything they needed to. That's actually done already, we got it done during the holiday, but now we've been asked to go over to one of the dragon ranches and check that they are actually up to scratch and following them all."

"And what's this got to do with me?" Hermione asked, not wanting to get her hopes up.

"Well we were thinking that, seeing as you're the only member of the team that's single –"

"You figured that if I went that there'd be no one back here who would miss me?" mock seriousness taking over her voice.

Mr Harrison looked startled, and flushed a light pink with embarrassment "W-well we just thought that seeing as everyone else would have a family that they'd h-have to leave behind –"

"I was joking sir" Hermione smiled reassuringly, "I'd love to go."

"Ok then," He smiled back, "we'll arrange for your portkey to Romania for next week then."

"Romania?" Hermione asked, half relieved, half shocked.

"Yes, Romania. Is there something wrong with that?"

"No, no, it's just I've got a friend out there, it will be nice to see him again."

The plans were made, dates scribbled into diaries and at the end of the day Hermione headed home to begin to decide on what clothes she should take along with her on her two months away. Although she was nervous, it was her first chance to prove herself capable, she was also very excited; fourth year and the Triwizard Tournament had fuelled her interest in Dragons, and now she would be able to see a great deal of them up close, and talk to many more people just like Charlie who clearly had such a passion for the ferocious fiery beasts.

The week passed and the only thing Hermione had to do was say goodbye to everyone, she arrived at the Burrow one the evening before her departure. Mrs Weasley cooked them all a big dinner and they sat down together recounting tales of Hogwarts and holidays. All except Ron that is, who upon hearing that Hermione would be joining them had swiftly made other plans and was out the house. His presence wasn't particularly missed; they were too busy having a good time and listening to Harry tell them how the rebuild of his parents' house was going.

"It should be fully built in a week or two really." Harry smiled, "then as soon as the pipes have been checked it can be redecorated."

"I'm really proud of you Harry dear." Mrs Weasley smiled and ruffled his hair. "I'm so glad that you're getting on with things. Unlike Ronald, I'm worried about him, just sitting around all day, no direction, and no purpose."

The sky darkened and soon they all turned in for the night conscious to get a good night's sleep so they could all go to wave Hermione off the following morning.

Dawn came and Hermione jumped out of bed, she'd had a fitful night's sleep but the adrenaline running through her made up for it, she went through her bag for the sixth time to make sure that she had everything packed, which of course she knew she did but she still felt she had to check.

She sat down to breakfast but found that she couldn't eat; she nibbled at a piece of toast before giving up completely regardless of Molly's protests.

"You can't travel on an empty stomach Hermione; it's not good for you." She nagged, "It'll make you feel better."

"Honestly Mrs Weasley I'm fine!" She insisted, "Just let me help you clear up."

She got up and pointed her wand at the empty dishes on the table, which promptly flew into the soapy water awaiting it in the sink and started scrubbing themselves. As soon as everyone was done eating George got up to light a fire and they all crowded around the fireplace.

"Hermione dear?" Mrs Weasley asked just as Hermione was about to step into the green flames, "Could you give this to Charlie when you see him? It saves having to owl his birthday present next week."

"Of course." Hermione smiled and took the package off Molly, stowing it inside her coat. "Well, goodbye everyone, I'll owl as soon as I can."

She stepped into the green flames her suitcase alongside her, "Fireball Ranch, Romania." She stated clearly and the flames whirled up around her taking her to her destination.

She landed gracefully in the grate in the main reception of Fireball Ranch and stepped out onto the wooden floor brushing herself down. She walked up to the main desk and waited for the witch to finish taking to the head in one of the other fireplaces.

"Can I help you?" She asked once she was finished with the conversation.

"I'm Hermione Granger," She explained, producing her Ministry ID Card and handing it over to the receptionist, "I'm here observe the Ranch for two months."

"Of course," The witch smiled, "We've been expecting you Miss Granger. If you'd just like to take a seat over there I'll get someone to take you to your lodgings."

Hermione sat in the seat that had been pointed out to her and waited a few minutes until another witch arrived and walked her down to the log cabins which were the Dragon Handlers' homes.

"Is it a good idea to have so much wood around fire breathing creatures?" Hermione asked as she looked around at all the log buildings.

"Oh it's fine," The other witch smiled, "There's loads of fire repellent charms on pretty much everything here, so it's fairly safe."

"Fairly?" Hermione questioned raising her eyebrow.

"Well, there's a chance that the charms might fail, but it's never happened yet, with the amount that there actually are around here it's pretty unlikely that they'll all fail at once."

Feeling slightly reassured Hermione nodded and continued to follow until she arrived at her own cabin. It was lovely, on the cosy side of small with one bedroom, a bathroom, kitchen and living and dining room combined.

"Are you starting your report today?" The witch asked Hermione as she looked round.

"No I think I'll just unpack and have a look around today, I'll start tomorrow."

"I can get someone who's free to give you a tour around the place if you'd like?"

"That would be nice." Hermione smiled.

The witch left Hermione to unpack and have a closer look around, she found to her delight that there was a desk in the bedroom and she hastened to set out all her work documents so that she would be able to review them that evening and then get started the following morning.

She hung her clothes in the wardrobe, stacked her books on the bookcase and placed a picture of her, Harry, Ron and Ginny by her bedside.

She was about to sit down to pen a note to the Weasleys when there was a knock at her door. She got up to answer it and through the glass she could see a flash of red hair.

Smiling she pulled open the door and greeted the familiar face, "Charlie! It's good to see you."

"Hey Hermione," He grinned back, "Just thought I'd come and welcome you seeing as I have the afternoon off."

"That's very nice of you. Come in and I'll make you a drink."

They entered the house and Charlie seated himself in the living room while Hermione investigated the kitchen. Unfortunately the fridge was empty, as were the cupboards.

"Problem?" Charlie asked emerging from the other room, leaning against the doorframe, arms folded across his chest.

"There seems to be a lack of liquid at the moment, so the choice is pretty much water or water." She sighed.

"Well in that case let the drinks will be on me." He grinned, grabbing her hand and pulling her out the door.

"Where are we going?" Hermione asked glancing around herself as she followed the muscular red-head along the path.

"There's a little pub just down this road, I thought we could toast your arrival."

Sitting in the corner of the small public house nursing their butter beers the two discussed their respective jobs for a while before the subject turned to Charlie's family.

"So how's everyone doing?" He asked, thankful that he had contact with someone from home, he had an owl from his mother once a week but a mother's view on things could sometimes be far different to the reality of the situation.

"They're fine, I think your mum's glad that Harry and Ron are still living there, with Ginny at Hogwarts and everyone else moved out she hasn't got too many people to mother. George's shop is doing great; he's looking to open more across the country. Percy proposed to Penelope last week, and Harry's nearly finished the house, he really want to get it all done before Ginny finishes school, it's sweet really."

"What about Ron?"

"He's still a git," She smiled, "but I suppose I'm a little biased."

"Yeah, mum told me what happened, and then Ginny told me what really happened. He's always found it hard to grow up, it doesn't help that mum babies him so much, not that it's her fault she did it to all of us. He's just lazy."

"It was hard to see that in Hogwarts, we _had_ to do the work or we'd get kicked out, but now I think if he was given the option he'd never work a day in his life."

They were quiet for a while, contemplating what had been said.

"But I'm free of all that for now," Hermione concluded finally, "I won't see him for a good two months, that's got to be a good thing."

"Exactly." Charlie said as he drained the rest of his drink in one big gulp, "Now you're here, and you'll be in need of a tour of the area. And for that I do believe we'll have to find you a broom."

"A br-broom?" Hermione stammered, she hated flying, "Why would I need a broom?"

Charlie didn't hear her question he was already across the room walking out the door, she got up to follow him, calling after trying to get him to stop.

"Charlie, I don't fly! I hate it! ... Are you listening? Charlie!"

* * *

A/N : I'm in the middle of my A-Levels while doing this, I know I'm crazy, but sometimes I'm not going to feel like writing, so please review, if I think people are actually reading and enjoying this then I'll be more inclined to ger the next chapter up. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Life Goes On.  
Chapter Five.**

Charlie finally came to a halt outside a large shed and Hermione was able to catch up with him, panting slightly from all the shouting.

"Charlie what are you doing?" She demanded, "I don't fly. Honestly I don't!"

"Hermione you're a witch of course you fly." He chuckled, grabbing two brooms out of the shed and handing one to her, "And besides, you want to see the dragons don't you?"

"Well yes, of course I do."

"Well then," He shrugged and mounted his broom, "You fly."

Kicking off he soared into the air leaving her on the ground gawping upwards, he zoomed around for a while, doing a few loop-de-loops, before coming to the conclusion that she wasn't going to join him. He landed once more beside her.

"Are you coming or not?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I don't like flying." She shrugged, "Never have, never will."

"Well of course you won't if you think like that." He shifted forward on his broom, "Get on behind me."

"What?" Hermione frowned.

"Well if you're not going to fly on your own I'll take you."

After a few moments of internal deliberation Hermione mounted the broom, clung on around Charlie's waist and they were off, up into the skies above. Hermione let out a little shriek and clung on even tighter; Charlie laughed at her actions and continued to fly.

They finally got to a huge forest and hovered above it.

"Well, what do you think?" Charlie asked, grinning like a proud parent.

"They're trees?" Hermione shrugged, unsure at just what he was going on about.

"Not the trees! Look what's in them!"

Hermione looked a little closer and sure enough after a few minutes a burst of flames came out of the tree tops.

"The dragons are in there!" She exclaimed, grinning broadly with excitement.

"Want to take a closer look?" Charlie asked, and before she had time to respond dipped the broom into a downward path.

Before she knew it Hermione was below the treetops, weaving in and out of branches.

"When you said closer I didn't think you meant this close!" Hermione groaned.

"Hermione I don't see why you're so bothered, you've ridden a dragon, that's closer than this is."

"That was different." Hermione grumbled and jumped as she heard something move behind her and spun her head around so quickly Charlie was surprised it didn't break clean off her body. "What was that?"

Before Charlie had chance to answer a great scaly beat emerged with a roar and a burst of fire from its pointy tooth filled mouth.

"Merlin, Charlie it's going to kill us!" She exclaimed.

"Hermione I've been working here for years, am I dead yet?" He chuckled, "Don't worry about it."

They rushed upwards a few feet to miss a burst of flames that would have otherwise left them a pile of smouldering ashes on the floor below them.

"Charlie Weasley!" She shrieked "Stop it!"

He laughed a little, and made a few circles around the dragon's head, its eyes following them round and round as they did. Charlie made the broom dip down and then back up, teasing the dragon. It was one of the older dragons, he'd reared it from a hatchling and although all dragons were dangerous, the ones in the enclosure had become used to human presence about them. However, Charlie realised suddenly, Hermione didn't know this, and to her this was just a very large, very real dragon issuing fire from the depths of its belly.

"Charlie please!" She cried, a new edge of desperation in her voice, "Please take me down."

Sensing her mounting fear, and remembering what he had been like when he had first been faced with a dragon he quickly pulled the broom up and took them above the treetops and back down on the ground outside of the enclosure.

"Hermione, I'm sorry, I should have thought, I wasn't thinking, I've been doing this for so long I've forgotten what it's like to be faced with a dragon for the first time." Charlie apologized, "The dragons are used to us, I should have said that, I'm sorry."

"It's ok." She said quietly, although looking a little pale.

Suddenly Charlie had an idea; glancing at his watch he decided that there would be just enough time, "Quick come with me!"

He grabbed her hand and yet again she found herself being dragged along.

"You're not going to try and kill me again are you?" She asked, jokingly, although she couldn't remove the traces of trepidation.

"Don't worry! Absolutely no death, I promise."

"And no flying?"

"Your feet will be firmly planted on the ground at all times."

After a few minutes of hastened walking they arrived at a building that was fairly large compared to the others Hermione had seen so far. She didn't have much time to consider the size of it however as Charlie was already pulling her inside. Once inside she saw that the far wall was completely covered in shelves and upon these shelves sat many, many eggs partially obscured by the wall of fire that was warming them.

"Dragon eggs!" Hermione exclaimed happily, "There's so many of them."

"And we're in luck, look over there." Charlie said, pointing in the direction of one of the eggs.

It was rocking and shaking and as they looked closely a small crack appeared across the top, Charlie donned a pair of thick gloves and walked over to it, the flames parted as he approached and he was able to pick it up and bring it to the table in the centre of the room.

"It's hatching" She exclaimed happily.

They both stood close to the table, watching with excitement as the top of the egg fell off and a pint sized dragon poked its head out of the hole.

"It's _cute_." Hermione said, unable to keep the shock from her tone, dragons fascinated her, but it had always been more of a morbid curiosity for something that could so easily tear you limb from limb.

It had large flappy ears and nostrils that would take several years to grow into; its long spindly neck didn't look like it could possibly support its head and the wings looked more suited to the size of a butterfly. Hermione could help but giggle as it gave a large sneeze and smoke bellowed from its nose.

"You laugh now, but give him a year or two and he'll be too big to fit inside this room." Charlie smiled giving him a loving pat on the head and quickly removing his hand as the baby snapped at his fingers.

"So what happens to it now?"

"It'll go to the baby pen to be reared until its big enough to go into the enclosure and fend for itself."

"Don't you look after them when they're big?"

"Well it's a bit hard to be loving and caring to a dragon." He chuckled, "We make sure they have food, we heal them if they're hurt or ill and we make sure that they don't escape into the muggle world."

"And how do you do that?"

"Watch."

A witch that Hermione hadn't noticed before crossed the room and held her wand up to one of the dragon's ears; a tag appeared, much like the ones that Hermione had seen around the ears of the cows in the farms she had visited as a child, although unlike the cows this tag disappeared after a few seconds.

"That tag matches with charms that are laid around the perimeter of enclosure. It acts like a big wall, they can't get past it."

They watched the witch at work for a few minutes longer before Charlie piped up, "Come on, we should leave her to work, I'll walk you back."

They headed back down the gravely path leading to the lodgings.

"Thank you for a nice day Charlie." Hermione smiled, sliding her arm through his so they were linked as they walked. She looked across to him, studying his features; it was clear he was a Weasley, but he was so unlike Ron, his face showed that he was older, more mature, that he had experienced life and had wisdom to share. She ached to reach up and delicately trace the faint scar that was upon his cheek, she imagined how his skin would feel cupped into the palm of her hand.

She caught herself before she continued down that line of thinking, a blush spreading across her cheek, and started to pay attention to what Charlie was saying to her.

"I'm sorry it started off so badly, with the dragon, I should have thought."

"No, don't apologise, I'm sorry for not trusting you. I know that you're not going to put me in any danger. I just over reacted."

"Well, I'm still sorry, how about I make it up to you?" Charlie asked with a flirtatious grin.

"Oh yeah? And how do you propose you'll do that?" Hermione asked, returning his smile.

"A drink? In my cabin?" He offered, adding, "I've got a lovely supply of fire whiskey. I could even make you dinner, seeing as we haven't got you any food in the cupboards yet."

What on earth would Ron think to me having dinner alone with his brother, Hermione wondered, but then stopped. Why did she care what Ron thought, here she was with a lovely guy, having fun, she wasn't going to let anything ruin it.

"I can't think of anything better." Hermione smiled and followed Charlie back to his cabin.

* * *

A/N: Thanks to everyone who's reveiwed. Please keep on reveiwing, let me know what you think! 


	6. Chapter 6

**Life Goes On.  
Chapter Six. **

Hermione, being Hermione got started on the large amount of work she had the very next day and for a week she was seen to only go through papers documenting medical examinations, sat in on some of the dragon's check-ups to make sure the workers were meeting all regulations, and explored the enclosure thoroughly, this time broomless and with full protective enchantments around her. She had also begun to fill in the individual evaluations for each of the fifteen workers at the ranch.

By the end of her first week she had completed the work that would take most other people three, but then again this wasn't surprising, Hermione had always had a knack for keeping on top of work, a skill that had baffled Harry and Ron to no end while they were at Hogwarts.

Throughout the week Charlie saw Hermione going about her tasks, clipboard in one hand, and quill in the other making constant notes on all that the workers were doing. It made him smile to see her like that, so eager to learn and observe and completely oblivious to the fact that by doing so she was making everyone else so nervous. Jenkins, a second year trainee had dropped the dragon's egg he was examining three times that morning when Hermione had been there.

"Do you realise," He had muttered to Charlie in an undertone as Hermione had left, "If she gives us a bad report that we could lose our jobs?"

This had of course occurred to Charlie and he had so far done his best to ensure that they were working even better than they did normally, no slip ups, no tasks left or put off, this was Charlie's life, all he had ever wanted was to work with dragons and now he was doing it he didn't want anything or anyone to take that away from him. He'd just have to make sure that she didn't uncover the ranch's little secret, he knew for sure that if she did it would be his head that would roll. But there was only a month and half left before she was leaving, it wasn't like anything big was going to happen in that time, he reassured himself, not completely convinced but it wasn't like he could do anything about it anyway.

With the distraction of trying to keep anybody from getting fired Charlie almost forgot that it was his own birthday, it was Hermione knocking on his door at eight in the morning brandishing a birthday cake in front of her that reminded him.

"Harry Birthday!" She chirped as she entered into the kitchen to set the cake down onto a work surface.

Bleary eyed Charlie simply stared at her, two minutes earlier he had been in bed, now here he was listening to the unnaturally cheerful woman in his kitchen, although she had brought food, which was always a redeeming factor in his book.

It was cold, he thought to himself as Hermione busied herself in the task of finding a knife with which to cut the cake, glancing down at himself he did a double take, he was still in nothing but his boxers, grabbing a tea towel that had been draped across the chair by the door he covered up his chest and backed out of the room as quickly as possible, his cheeks flushing as red as his hair.

He returned a few minutes later to find Hermione seated on the sofa, legs curled up underneath her, tucking in to her own slice of cake, his own slice was on the table beside a small pile of presents.

"Birthday cake for breakfast," Hermione grinned, "It really is the way to go."

"Yeah, the way to go towards a heart attack." Charlie joked, but none the less picked up his own piece and began to eat it.

"At least we'll die happy." She took another bite and then pointed her fork towards the gifts, "Open them I wanna see what you've got."

He grabbed the first of the presents; it was off George, a huge supply of skivers snack box refills with a note attached saying: _For when you get sick of the bloody dragons have a day off on me! _

"These may come in handy one day," Charlie chuckled, "You're not going to put that down on your report are you?"

"Don't worry that'll stay between you and me."

He continued with the rest of his presents; a book on the Chudley Cannons from Ron, a new cloak off Bill and Fleur, a quill set off Percy and Penelope, "That's good, now you can write more letters to your mum" Hermione chipped in, and finally a large gift package of Zonko's sweets off Ginny and Harry.

"And this is from me." Hermione said, pulling a small package out from her pocket, "Sorry it's not much."

He opened it and found inside a tiny little replica of a dragon, much like the ones that had been chosen by the competitors in the Triwizard Tournament in Hermione's fourth year.

"I found out your favourite dragon from George and learnt the charm, what out for the teeth, they may be small but they're sharp." Hermione joked holding out her left hand where Charlie could see tiny little puncher marks across her index finger.

"Hermione, this is amazing thank you so much." He leant over and gave her a hug, much to the miniature dragon's displeasure; it spread its wings wide and did a few laps of the room before coming to land on the edge of Charlie's plate, picking at his slice of cake.

"And tonight I'll take you out for a drink or twelve, but for now I have to get to work." Hermione grinned as she got up, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, "Happy birthday."

And then she was gone, leaving Charlie in an ever so slightly bemused state. He touched his fingers to his cheek; it seemed to be burning hot where her lips had been mere seconds before.

Work passed quickly for them both, Charlie spending the day with the baby dragons, making sure that they were eating right and that their scales were firming up like the adult dragons scales. Hermione was already halfway through the individual evaluations and was very proud at the rate with which she was progressing, at this rate, she thought happily to herself, it would all be finished in a month and then she'd be able to return home. Although she couldn't quite decide what would be so good about that, it wasn't like she had too much to return to.

Finishing filing the report she looked at her watch, two-thirty; she may as well call it a day, she decided, after all she had worked all morning, done lots of work, may as well use the afternoon to relax, she concluded.

And to make sure you look good for Charlie, her brain added much to her own shock. She didn't care what Charlie thought, he was just her ex-boyfriend's older brother. A friend. A very attractive friend granted, one that made her smile, one that she liked being around, but there was nothing more to it was there?

She continued to reason it out with herself as she began to run a bath, she been planning on washing her hair that day anyway she managed to convince herself.

* * *

A/N: Sory this ones so short, my hamsters just got really ill so I've spent the week trying to get it to eat and drink seeing as it hasn't got the strength to do so on its own, it looks like my efforts will be for nothing anyway, I don't think it's going to get better.  
Anyway, because of this I haven't really been in the right mood to write but I thought I'd put this up so you don't all give up on me.  
Please give me some reviews.  
I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I can. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Life Goes On.  
Chapter Seven. **

The afternoon passed and before Hermione knew it, it was time to meet Charlie in the pub; she squirted on some perfume and headed out the door hurrying along the path. She was early, as usual; where other people would say 'better late than never', to Hermione it was 'better never late'. She settled herself down at a table in the far corner and bought the first round of drinks. She was already half way through her first when Charlie finally arrived.

He pushed open the door, allowing a huge gust of wind to come through; he cheeks flushed slightly, a sign that he had been walking fast to get there, his hair windswept and falling in front of his deep green eyes, that Hermione had noticed has slight flecks of gold in them when they caught the right light. Her heart started beating faster as he approached her, she returned the smile he gave her and took a gulp of her drink, giving her a few seconds to regain her composure before he spoke.

"Started already hey? Well then I'll have to catch up." He picked up the untouched glass on the table and took two large mouthfuls, emptying its content. "Shall I get the next ones in?"

"No" Hermione protested, "It's your birthday; the drinks are on me tonight."

"Well body shots are fun, but I thought we'd stick to beer for now." Charlie joked.

Hermione made her way to the bar, very determined not to picture Charlie performing a body shot off of her, the thought was making her go slightly weak at the knees.

"So how are you enjoying Romania?" Charlie asked when she returned to the table.

"It's great. Everyone's being so lovely and welcoming even though I could lose them their jobs. I feel like that Umbridge woman." She said with a slight shudder at the thought.

"Oh yeah, I read about her decrees in the Daily Prophet, she was horrible. You're nothing like that Hermione, and you certainly don't look like a toad." He smiled.

"Well I suppose that's a plus. I don't look like a toad."

"You look gorgeous Hermione."

She blushed and looked down at the table while he studied her face with unmasked interest, taking in every little part of her, the warm chocolate brown of her eyes, the smoothness of her cheeks and the fullness of her lips, lips that just cried out for him to press his own against them. He fought the urge to reach out and trace his thumb across them to feel their softness.

She'd been speaking he realised, and he hadn't heard a single word of it. He gave his head a quick shake and focused in on the conversation.

"-been good to get away from London," She was saying, "I needed the distance after the break-up."

"Was it messy?" He wanted to know, wanted every little detail, but at the same time it was his brother, and he should respect Ron's privacy.

"Not particularly, it was just painful," Hermione said thoughtfully, "I'd just been with Ron for so long that it had become a habit. He was there for me when I needed him to be in the War and he was so great, but then when it was over and we were just a normal couple having normal lives it all changed."

"How?"

"He can't get over the lack of excitement I don't think. It's so stupid, how can he want what it was like before, with the constant threat to our lives, compared to the safety we have now. I know it's been difficult loosing Fred, but he was using it as an excuse to sit and moan when he could be making something of himself."

"But he's been like that for months, how come you chose now to act?"

"When I got this job he sulked, he didn't even pretend to be happy about it, he doesn't support me anymore, and I just couldn't live with that, it was making me miserable."

"Do you think you'll get back together?" Charlie couldn't help but ask, he didn't really want to know the answer, he wasn't sure why, but he didn't want her to have feelings for his little brother.

"No. I don't think so. He came round to see me not long after we broke up and I thought that there was a chance that we would, but we just ended up arguing like usual. I think we're better off apart."

Charlie couldn't help but feel slightly relieved at this comment.

They both reached into the bowl of nuts that was in the centre of the table, their hands brushing together as they did so, feeling a zing of electricity running up her spine Hermione told herself firmly, nothing's going to happen, you're just his little brother's ex-girlfriend. But no matter how many times she said it there was still a part of her that thought otherwise.

Three drinks later the room was spinning for both of them, more so for Hermione, whose slight frame had less inside to dilute the alcohol with.

"I think," She slurred "We've had enough."

"Enough? Pfft, nowhere near, we just need to move onto something different. Let's go back to mine and we can have free drinks."

"That," Hermione declared, pointing at him sharply, "That is the best bloody thing you've said all night."

They staggered out of the pub, and leaning against each other and they swerved and stumbled along the path the Charlie's, giggling all the way. As he unlocked his door Hermione wobbled slightly and grabbed hold of his hand to steady herself, they stayed hand in hand, fingers laced as they entered the house.

"So what would you like to drink?" She asked him.

He pulled her by the hand he was still holding and she collapsed into his chest, looking up at him, eyes focused on him mouth.

"I don't feel like drinking anymore." He whispered.

He bent his head down slightly and finally he got to brush his lips against hers that had enchanted him so much all evening. They were as soft as he had imagined.

Her arms snaked up around his neck and desire coursed through his body as he pressed herself against him. He wanted to take her to bed. He didn't care about the consequences, he didn't care that this was his brothers former girlfriend. All he knew was that moment and in that moment he wanted her.

His hands slid down to the front of her blouse and he nimbly began to undo her buttons, Hermione had a fleeting thought that she was glad that she'd put on matching underwear before coming out that night.

As he finished undoing her top and slid it off her shoulders as her hands went downwards and undid his belt buckle. Their mouths never left each other as they made their way to the bedroom and tumbled down onto the bed.

It was eleven before Hermione opened her eyes and found herself alone in Charlie's bed, it took her a few seconds to realise where she was, and a couple more seconds for the hangover to come crashing down on her. She groaned and brought her hand up to massage her throbbing temples.

"Good morning." Charlie chirped as he re-entered the room, he was in nothing but a towel that was loosely slung round his hips and his hair was still wet from the shower. As he pulled on clothes Hermione became very conscious of her nakedness. She grabbed pants and bra that were heaped on the floor beside her and quickly slid them on; her trousers were at the end of the bed, she grabbed them too. Now all she needed was a top and she'd be ok.

Crap! She thought, it's still in the kitchen.

"Are you ok?" Charlie asked coming over to sit beside her, covering her hand with his own.

"I'm fine."

"D-do y-you regret last night?" Charlie stammered, to him it had been amazing, he'd woken up with a smile on his face and a feeling so good even his throbbing headache couldn't dull his mood.

But he could understand if she felt different, they had been pretty drunk, and she might feel like he had taken advantage of her. He hadn't wanted it to be like that, he liked her a lot and he didn't want things to be ruined between them.

"No!" Hermione said quickly, "It's not that."

"You sure?"

"Yeah." Hermione nodded, and then wished that she hadn't.

"I like you Hermione, I like you a lot."

Hermione liked Charlie too, the past three weeks she had been with him had been the happiest weeks that she had had in a long time. But the previous night had felt wrong; a drunken fling wasn't how she had wanted it. And this was Ron's brother! No matter how many times she had told herself that it didn't matter she knew deep down that he did.

"Ron's going to be so mad." She said quietly.

"I know." That same thought had been bothering Charlie too.

He wasn't especially close to his brother, Charlie had been away at Hogwarts through most of Ron's childhood and then had left for Romania straight after that, but he was still his brother and brothers don't do things to hurt their family.

"We just won't tell him." Hermione said firmly. "Then it will be ok."

For several minutes Charlie couldn't speak, he didn't want that to be it, he'd woken up that morning exited to be able to get to know Hermione better, to go places with her, to wake up next to her and sit and watch her beautiful sleeping form just like he had that morning. But she didn't want that.

"If that's what you want." He said quietly, unable to mask the pain he felt.

"What I want doesn't come into it, it's what we have to do."

"Why?" Charlie demanded, standing up suddenly, "You make me happy, I make you happy, we're both adults and single, why is it what we have to do? You said it yourself you and Ron aren't in love anymore, it might be strange at first but everyone else can bloody well get used to it!"

"Really?" Hermione asked a smile creeping onto her face.

"Well," He said again, "if it's what you want?"

She grinned and grabbed him by the back of the neck pulling him down so their lips met.

"Charlie Weasley that sound a lot more like what I want."

* * *

A/N : Please review guys, I feel like no ones reading, and if that's the case it'd be pointless me carrying on with the story. So let me know there are people out there to write for. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Life Goes On.  
Chapter Eight.**

It had been a month since Hermione had arrived in Charlie's life and two weeks since they had started a relationship and already his feelings were rapidly growing. Here was a girl who was intelligent, but not arrogant, pretty in the girl next door kind of way Charlie had always liked, with an amazing sense of humour, sparkling personality and who liked him back. The only flaw was that she had liked his little brother first.

That and the fact that she would be leaving in just four weeks.

But when she was lay in his arms in his bed sleeping peacefully, he found it hard to care about all of that. For now he was happy and he was going to cling onto that fact for as long as he could. He'd think about that when he had to.

Her eyelids fluttered open and for several seconds she glanced around, taking in her surroundings before her line of vision came to rest on Charlie. She smiled.

"Good morning."

She stretched her hands high above her head and pointed her toes, waking up her muscles from their slumber.

"Good morning." He grinned back at her, planting a kiss on the tip of her nose, "What would you like to do today?"

"Well mister, I have work to do." She told him as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and sat up. "And so do you." She added.

He gave an over exaggerated sigh that made her giggle before she became serious, "Really Charlie, I could get into trouble with work for being in a relationship with you so if they prove that it's effecting your work."

She was up pulling a set of robes over her head as he got out of bed and wrapped him arms around her waist pulling her into him.

"I'm sorry, I know, I'll work. Extra hard." He promised.

And he did, all day he immersed himself in the work that had once been his main priority, now however his main concern was the end of the day when he could get back to have Hermione in his arms once more.

However, having his thoughts so centred on her stopped him concentrating on his task of checking the teeth of one of the new babies in the enclosure. For this reason he didn't notice that his stupefy spell had worn off, his fist warning was the searing pain as the teeth ripped through his left wrist and the burst of flame that followed.

He cried out in pain, alerting the witch who had busied herself at the sink cleaning instruments, her wand was at hand and she manages to quickly subdue the animal, however it was too late to save Charlie's hand, bone was visible through the ripped skin and blisters were already starting to form.

"Merlin!" The witch exclaimed, "We need to get you to Mungo's!"

He was rushed to the hospital and seen quickly, his blood loss had been immense and the doctor who saw him predicted that he would have to stay in for a couple of days before everything could be regrown and healed.

Hermione had just one more worker's evaluation left to do, the one she had been putting off, Charlie. What if he was terrible and she had to give him a bad evaluation? She couldn't do that. Or what If he was wonderful and she gave him a dazzling one? People would think the only reason she did that was because she was sleeping with him, and that would lose both her and him the respect they worked hard to gain. Either way she couldn't win.

But she had to do it; it was part of her job and the quicker she got it done the quicker she'd be able to finish the rest of her work. She still had to compile medical data on every dragon currently in the enclosure and go over some of the handling methods with the staff who had not come up to scratch when she had observed them. Those two tasks alone would take two weeks at least. That would leave her two weeks to write up her full final report and then the rest she would hopefully spend with Charlie.

The quicker she got all her tasks done the more time she would have with him, which was what she wanted most of all.

"Hey Stacey!" Hermione called, catching up with a young witch, "Do you know where I can find Charlie?"

"Oh," She looked worried, "Haven't you heard? He's had an incident with a dragon and had to be taken to St. Mungo's this morning."

"Is he ok?" Hermione asked, panicked.

"I think he's been taken in for the next few days."

"Ok." Hermione tried to stay calm, "Thanks Stacey, I'll see you around."

Hermione walked as quickly as she could to the main reception hut and signed herself out on the register. She then jumped into one of the large stone fireplaces and went straight to St. Mungo's Hospital.

"Can I help you miss?" The receptionist at the desk asked as Hermione approached it.

"I'm looking for Charlie Weasley; he was brought in this morning with Dragon bites."

"Ah yes," The witch nodded as she brought up the relevant documents. "He's up on floor six. But I'm afraid that only family are allowed to go up to see him right now."

Thinking quickly Hermione pulled out her wand and silently transformed the bracelet around her wrist to a ring that she slipped onto the ring finger of her left hand.

"I'm his fiancé." She announced and held up her left hand, showing the ring.

"Oh congratulations." The receptionist smiled, "The lifts are over there on the right, he's in room 612."

"Thank you for your help." Hermione gave a quick grin before rushing to the lift that was just about to close.

Thankfully, a kindly old witch held the door for her and she was able to get inside in time.

As soon as the doors opened on the sixth floor she practically sprinted to the room that Charlie was in.

He was sat up in his bed, hand heavily bandaged up and a tube running into the vein of the other arm.

"Charlie!" She exclaimed rushing to his side. "Oh Merlin are you ok?"

"I'll survive." He smiled.

Hermione surveyed him, he looked a little pale, but he did seem to be telling to truth and it was likely that he would survive. This calmed her slightly.

"What has the doctor said to you?"

"The bandages are on to stop the bleeding, then they're regrowing the skin tonight and tomorrow they'll regrow the muscle and the tendons although that will probably take around a day to do."

"So you'll be in a couple of nights then?" Hermione asked as she pulled up a chair and took his non-damaged hand in hers.

"Looks that way." He sighed.

"Can I stay with you?" She asked she hated the thought of him being alone in a hospital room over night, and hated even more having to sleep alone once more; she had become so used to having Charlie's warm body next to hers at night.

"That would be nice." Charlie smiled, "I'll ask the nurse to set up a cot for you in here. I'm surprised you were allowed in, so they may not let you."

"Oh I think they will." Hermione grinned, showing him the 'engagement ring', "They think I'm your fiancé."

Mrs Weasley had also been informed about her son's trip to the hospital and she and Ron, who had been in the house with her at the time had rushed over to St Mungo's as soon as they owl had arrived.

"My Son. Charlie Weasley, he's been brought in!" She exclaimed as she arrived at the desk.

The same receptionist who had dealt with Hermione smiled up at her, "Yes of course Mrs Weasley, he's on floor six, room 612." She informed them, checking the records once more, "I believe that his fiancé is up with him at the moment."

"Fiancé?!" Both Mrs Weasley and Ron exclaimed at the same time.

They rushed as quickly as they could to Charlie's room, bursting in without warning, in time to see Hermione display the ring and the pair smiling to each other.

"Charlie Weasley!" Mrs Weasley barked.

"Hermione?" Ron exclaimed at the same moment.

Hermione and Charlie sprung apart, although they knew it wouldn't help. They were busted.


	9. Chapter 9

**Life Goes On. ****Chapter Nine. **

"Somebody better tell me _right now _what is going on here." Mrs Weasley demanded.

The couple stayed quiet, too scared to speak and face the wrath of the older woman.

"You're my brother!" Ron exploded, "How the hell could you do this to me?"

"We're not doing anything Ron, we're not engaged, Hermione just said that because only family is allowed up here..." Charlie began to explain.

"Oh thank Merlin!" Mrs Weasley exclaimed, fanning her face with her hand to cool down her flushed cheeks. "You're much too young for him Hermione, it just simply wouldn't work."

"But," Charlie raised his voice over the rant that his mother was beginning, "but we are together."

There was a moment of perfect silence, no one spoke, Mrs Weasley and Ron shocked from the revelation, Charlie and Hermione shocked that he had actually told them.

"You bastard." Ron hissed, "You BASTARD!"

He launched himself at Charlie, hands balled into fists of fury, face contorted with rage and hatred, "How could you do this to me? I'm your brother, where's your sense of family?" he growled landing punch after punch upon Charlie's body.

Two doctors burst into the room and succeeded in pulling Ron off his older brother.

"I'm sorry but you'll have to leave." One of the doctors barked, "This is simply disgusting behaviour to display in this hospital."

"How does it feel Charlie?" Ron asked as he and his mother were hustled out the door, "How does it feel to finally be the one getting the second hand things? Because that's what she is, _used, dirty _and _old!" _He spat the words in Hermione's direction.

As the door closed behind them Hermione broke down, flooded with tears. Charlie pulled her close to him, wrapping her arms around her, stroking her hair and kissing the top of her head.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, I'm so sorry."

"I should go," she whispered, "I've caused enough trouble being here already."

Without another word, ignoring Charlie's protest she removed herself from the room and collapsing against the wall in the corridor outside. Keeping her eyes tightly shut she squeezed out a few more tears before wiping her eyes with the backs of her hands. Ron's words stung and balled themselves up to form a hot lump at the back of her throat.

He was supposed to be her friend, she knew there were bitter feelings but she had never thought that he could have been so cruel, so sharp.

If this was the way that everyone was going to react she didn't know if she was going to be able to face it. She liked Charlie a lot; he made her happy, but was it worth destroying her friendships for him?

She didn't know, and that scared her.

-//-

It was two days later when Charlie was discharged from the hospital and was able to return to the enclosure.

The first thing that he did was seek out Hermione, she hadn't returned to the hospital and he had missed seeing her more than he had thought that he would. This worried him as it just gave a taste of what life was going to be like for him when Hermione left to go back to England. It was going to be hell.

He tripped over a suitcase in her hallway as he let himself into Hermione's house, the feeling of trepidation mounted as he looked into the living room and saw that the bookcase that had been packed with books, photos and ornaments was bare. As were the cupboards in the kitchen.

A clatter in the bedroom diverted his attention and he made his way towards it. He pushed open the door and saw Hermione balancing on top of a chair reaching for something on top of the wardrobe. A bag was open at her feet with the last of her possessions, the ones that didn't fit into her case.

"It's amazing isn't it." He said, focusing all his energy on stopping his voice from shaking, "where things end up."

She turned to look at him and he nodded towards the pair of shoes Hermione had retrieved from the wardrobe.

"what are you doing here?" She demanded pushing the shoes into the bag and zipping it up.

He followed her into the hallway where she dumped the bag by the case already waiting.

"What are _you _doing?" He countered.

"I'm leaving." She sighed turning to go into the kitchen

"Yeah, I see that," he grabbed her arm, stopping her from walking away, "But what I want to know is why."

"I've finished my work I need to go back to my real life now."

"What about us?" he pleaded, taking both her arms and turning her so she had no option but to look at him.

"What about us! Charlie there is no us, there can't be an 'us' and I was stupid to think otherwise. You're so much older than me; you live in a whole other country; you're Ron's brother! So that is why I'm going."

"Hermione none of those things matter. Yeah it might make things a little difficult but we can make it work. I know we can. I want us to."

"And what reality do you live in? Because it can't be real life! Things just don't work like that!"

"They can if you let them; if you're going to have that attitude then of course it's not going to work. And if this is because of my stupid brother then you can just ignore him, you should know already that he's a complete pillock."

"It's not him, well not entirely, but he did make me realise that we were just kidding ourselves. And that's why we should just end it here, while it's just a little fun, this way no one gets hurt."

She grabbed her cases, yanked open the front door and closed it with a firm click before he had chance to say anything.

"But I love you." He whispered into the nothingness.


	10. Chapter 10

**Life Goes On.  
Chapter Ten. **

It couldn't be it; he decided firmly, yanking open the door that she had closed behind her Charlie chased Hermione up the path towards the front desk.

He called her name out three times before she stopped and turned to face him, wordlessly he approached her and took her face with both his hands, cupping her cheeks firmly in his palms and kissed her, hoping that the words that he couldn't think of to say to her to convince her to stay with him could be transferred through the kiss.

Resting his forehead against hers he remained silent for several minutes, his fingers coiling through her windswept curls.

"You can't leave like this; you have a week before you're due back so you don't _need _to. What you need is to be here, with me."

"But –" she began, but he cut her off with another kiss.

"No buts. Screw what Ron thinks about this, you've said it yourself enough times, he's a git. And are you really going to start taking advice from gits?"

Laughing despite herself Hermione offered a quiet "no" before she found Charlie's lips crashing down upon her own again.

"I suppose that I could stay until Friday." She grinned, "And seeing as you're the boy you can be the one to carry my bags back."

He did so obligingly; he would have done anything as long as he knew it resulted in being able to see Hermione for just a little while longer. They both knew that they were merely delaying the inevitable and that in three short days she really would have to leave and it really would have to be over, but in that moment neither cared, they had each other and that was all that mattered.

News that Hermione had officially finished her report was soon discovered by the rest of the workers and the atmosphere became significantly more relaxed and every evening Hermione and Charlie would join everybody in the pub to enjoy a drink.

It was the Thursday, Hermione's final night and there was a large group of them drinking themselves into a blissful oblivion and celebrating what Hermione assured them would be a glowing report.

"So how many of us will find ourselves without a job when you file all of them papers Hermione?" Jeremy, a young man, not dazzlingly bright, asked her after he'd had enough shots of firewhiskey to allow him to say whatever it was that popped into his head.

The other workers laughed, pretending not to care about the question, when really Hermione Hermione could tell they were all dying to know the answer.

"No one." Hermione laughed, "You've all been wonderful."

"Phew!" Jeremy exclaimed, "And you were worrying about losing your job over those spells on the eggs Charlie."

The room was in an instant completely silent, save for Jeremy who after several seconds of consideration as to what he had just said mutter "Oh bugger" and proceeded to pass out stone cold on the floor. No one made a move to help him.

Hermione pursed her lips, "What spells?" she asked quietly, staring into the bottom of the glass she was clutching in her hand.

No one answered.

"WHAT SPELLS?" She demanded, anger radiating off of her, causing several of the group to take a step backwards.

"Hermione, maybe this isn't the best place to discuss this." Charlie said quietly, taking her by the arm and attempting to steer her out of the door.

"No Charlie I think this is a bloody perfect place to discuss this." Hermione snapped, pulling her hand away from his grasp, firmly standing her ground. "So someone better start explaining this to me RIGHT NOW!"

Quickly, the others that had been gathered around them remembered stoves that had been left on, cats that needed feeding and letters that really couldn't wait until morning to be written and hastily made their exits leaving Hermione and Charlie alone.

"What spells?" She asked for the third time, her voice low and steady, but clearly ready to erupt at any given moment.

"You saw how many eggs there are in the hatching room!" Charlie started, "_and _you saw how small the enclosure for the baby dragons is, if we put in too many they fight and they kill each other and then there's no dragons at all, and really that would be a lot worse than what we're doing."

"And just what is it you're doing?"

"It's just a small spell to control how many are being born at a time, it doesn't hurt them at all, all it does is freeze time inside the egg until we know that we have the resources to deal with it."

"You're messing with time?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"Only slightly." Charlie mumbled.

"Not only is that completely and utterly against the law and could not only make you lose your current job but lose your dragon handling license all together, it 

is also _completely _unethical!" Hermione screeched, blowing up in a fit of rage. "I cannot believe that you would do something so stupid, so dangerous Charlie Weasley. You cannot go around playing God just because it makes your working life a little bit easier."

"it's not that Hermione, it's not like that. If we didn't do it the dragons would die, the eggs would be left in the enclosure to hatch and for the baby to be attacked before it learnt to defend itself, or the enclosures would get too full and there'd be fights, illnesses and the dragons would be miserable. I know what we're doing is wrong, but the other option just seems a whole lot worse."

"And did you not think to inform the ministry of the overcrowding?" Hermione asked coldly, he had made a good point, but ever since being trusted with the responsibility of the time turner in her third year Hermione had understood the dangerous connected with altering time and could not take the subject lightly.

"We have! Nothing ever gets done, they say that they'll look into it but then its always a problem with funding or zoning, or a million other excuses." He slammed his fist down hard on the wooden table, causing Jeremy still sleeping on the floor to give an involuntary jolt let out a long belch and roll over.

"Are you going to report this?" Charlie asked quietly after several minutes of silence.

"I have to. If I don't and someone finds out I could lose my job."

"And if you report it I _will _lose mine!" Charlie pleaded, "Please Hermione, can't you please just leave it out? You said you love me -"

"Don't you dare bring love into this Charlie Weasley!" Hermione exploded once more, "how can you talk about love when you've been lying to me this whole time? You said you loved me, you convinced me to stay beyond my better judgement, was all this a game to you? See how stupid we can make Hermione look and laugh at her behind her back? Is that it?"

"Of course not" Charlie said, hurt "you mean everything to me Hermione."

"Well you've got a funny way of showing it, and to think you'd almost convinced me that even with your family, and the distance this might have been worth a shot, you made me think we had something special."

She left the pub before he had chance to saying anything else, he knew that she would be going home, this time he didn't stop her.

* * *

**A/N - **I know its been a very long time and that theres probably no one reading this and to be fair I don't blame you if you've given up. but i haven't i WILL finish this story it's just slightly difficult with it being the first year of my A levels. so be patient, im on study leave for the next 2 weeks and though I dont have access to a computer for the first week of that the second week should bring you a new chapter.

So please review! it makes me write faster!


	11. Chapter 11

**Life Goes On. **

**Chapter Eleven. **

_Dear Ginny, _

_I'm sure you've heard by now from Ron and Mum about Hermione and me, I'm hoping that you're reacting in a much more positive way and if you have your doubts all I can say is that I've never felt the way I do about her with anyone else ever before and I really think that this might be It! _

_...and I think that I've gone and completely screwed it up. I'm sure she's told you what happened. _

_But she's only been gone a day and it's killing me. I never wanted her to leave like that, it's ruined everything. _

_Please Ginny, just tell me what I need to do, how can I fix this?_

_Charlie _

It had taken him a long time to swallow his pride and pull out a quill to write to his little sister, but Charlie knew he would never be able to solve this problem on his own, and so, as much as he hated to, he spilled his feelings to his little sister hoping that she would be the one who could take them all away.

He walked down to the mail room and selected the fastest owl that he could find; this needed to be in his sister's hand by that evening and the reply in his own hand as quickly as physically possible.

-- / --

Hermione had returned to Grimmauld Place and collapsed down upon her bed, instantly falling asleep. When she had woken in the morning it had taken her several seconds to work out where she was, it had been just shy of two months since she had slept in the bed she was in and she couldn't help but feel her heart sink a little when she realised that she was home. But she swallowed her feelings, _he lied to you, he hurt you, _and _he was breaking the law, _she told herself firmly and tried to focus on that instead.

No matter how much she told herself to though, every now and then her head betrayed her and he'd remember his arms around her, his lips upon hers, sitting up talking with him about anything and everything.

An owl tapping at her window roused her from her thoughts; she let it in and retrieved the note attached to its leg.

_Hermione, _

_I know you're home today, and lucky for you this week is half term so you can get yourself over to the Burrow and fill me in on all the juicy gossip that mum's been ranting about. _

_Ginny _

_p.s the gits out all day so don't worry about that. _

Sighing Hermione knew that she would get no peace until she went to the Burrow and the red-head had squeezed every last piece of gossip out of her, there was no fighting it. She got up, showered, dressed and half an hour later she was stepping out of the fireplace into the kitchen of the Weasley's house.

Thankfully it was Ginny in the kitchen and not Mrs Weasley as Hermione had feared, after their last eventful meeting she was unsure just how the older witch would greet her.

"Hermione" Ginny grinned, "So glad you could make it and I didn't have to come over and drag you here by the ponytail."

Hermione laughed and sat down opposite her friend, "It's good to see you Gin, I've missed you all being away."

"Oh we all know you were too busy snuggling up to Charlie to miss us that much." Ginny teased, expecting Hermione to laugh, blush, and quickly change the subject. What she did not expect was to see her friends face fall the way that it did.

"Hey," Ginny reached out and placed a hand on her friends arm, ""What's the matter?"

And the whole story came tumbling out, the drunken kiss which started it all, the good times that they had spent together, the hospital visit that had almost ended things, and then the horrible secret that had shocked her so much.

"And then I left," Hermione concluded, "I had to, I was, I _am_, so angry with him."

"But you still love him." It wasn't a question; Ginny could see it in her friend's eyes.

"That doesn't matter anymore. Even if it hadn't happen I still had to leave, we'd still be living so far apart, it just wouldn't have been practical."

"Trust you to think of practicality with something like this. Do you think Harry and I have a _practical _relationship? I'm at Hogwarts for most of the time and he's here waiting for me."

"But in three months you finish at Hogwarts and then you can come and be together every day and have a real life. It's not the same. And I'm not going to ask Charlie to leave Romania and come over here, for a start off he wouldn't even if I did 

ask, he loves those dragons far too much, and I couldn't do that to him, it wouldn't be fair."

"So what are you going to do then?"

Hermione was silent for a long time, considering her options; she sighed, and rested her head in her folded arms upon the table. "Nothing, I guess."

"Shame. Because mum would adore you if you managed to bring Charlie home. She hates that he's so far away."

_Her and me both, _Hermione thought as she got up, "I should get going. I need to check over this report one last time before I hand it in on Monday."

She hugged her friend quickly and left, just in time to miss Charlie's owl arrive at the window. Ginny scanned through it quickly and couldn't help but to laugh. She was the school girl, she was the one supposed to be owling her friends concerned over matters of the heart, not the other way around.

Sensing the urgency of the matter Ginny sat down and penned a note to send straight back with the same owl.

_Charlie, _

_Why, you bloody idiot, are you telling this to me?_

_Speak to Hermione and sort all of this out!_

The letter arrived back to Charlie the next morning; he knew his little sister was right, as hard as it was to admit it. It was Saturday, he didn't have work and he knew that Hermione wouldn't either, he could get a portkey to London and speak to her, now she would be calmer he could explain things, try to convince her not to tell the ministry so that he could keep his job.

He quickly made his way to the front desk, it took him just an hour to be given the permission to leave and as the clock struck noon he felt the odd tug at his navel and he was off. He arrived in the square just outside Grimmauld Place and after a moment's hesitation he marched up and knocked on the front door.

Hermione was in the kitchen, cooking herself lunch when she hear the door, wiping her hands on the tea towel draped over a chair she tucked her hair behind her ears and went to see who was there. Of all the people she thought it may be Charlie had never entered into her head.

She looked down at what she was wearing and wished that he could have given her a little bit of warning, she could have at least had time to put on something clean instead of a t-shirt that she had been sleeping in and jeans now covered in flour from the bread that she had been baking the muggle way.



"What are you doing here?" she asked, her shock making the question blunter than she had intended.

"I came to talk to you, can I come in? It's kind of cold out here."

She moved aside and let him in, they both made their way into the kitchen where she made them a drink.

"The way you left," Charlie began, "I don't blame you, I shouldn't have kept it from you, but you can understand why can't you?"

Hermione shrugged, and then nodded.

"But it was still wrong, and I'm sorry. But please Hermione; please don't make me lose my job over this. This job is all I have ever wanted; I don't know what I would do if I had it taken away from me now. I'll do things by the rules, we'll get the eggs we can't deal with sent out to other enclosures so no more spells. It's over now so you don't really need to report it do you?"

All hopes of possible reconciliation vanished from Hermione's hopeful mind. He wasn't here for her; all he was concerned for was his job. She held back the tears in her eyes long enough to say "I really thought you had more class than this Charlie" before she dissaperated from the room.

Leaving a very confused Charlie behind her. He'd told her that he was going to fix things, he'd changed the thing that had caused her to get angry and he'd even apologised, so shouldn't she be happy?

Sighing, he concluded that he would never understand women he got up to leave.

Hermione didn't return home until that evening and was glad to find that the house was empty. She climbed into bed, scolding herself for ever believing that the reason that he had come back could have been her. When he'd begun to apologise, with the way he had looked at her she had dared to hope that he actually cared for her.

Monday morning came and Hermione dragged herself into work, ready to hand in her report. She had considered writing down what she had found out all of Sunday but she had fallen asleep at her desk, still undecided. If she wanted to she could still tell her boss verbally and write the paper work on it at a later date.

It wasn't until the last possible second that Hermione made her mind up, she had been welcomed back, the report had been handed in, her new assignment collected and she was just leaving her boss's office before she decided what it was she needed to do.

Turning back around to face him she said quietly "Actually sir there was something else, can I just have a quick word?"


	12. Chapter 12

**Life Goes On.  
Chapter Twelve. **

Hermione left the office frustrated, she had sat there all ready to rat Charlie out, to vent some of the anger that she felt, but when the opportunity had presented itself she found that she was unable to form the words. Instead she had mumbled something about the possibility of getting some over time now that she was back home before shuffling back to her desk to sit and be annoyed at herself for the rest of the day.

Unfortunately there was very little work to be done that day and by two o' clock most of the office staff had absolutely nothing to do and so they were all sent on their way, home early as a 'rare treat'. Hermione found it hard to feel that way, seeing the afternoon stretch out before her with nothing to fill it.

She stopped as she reached the exit of the Ministry, causing an old witch to bump into her rousing many 'tuts' and a scathing look. Muttering her apology Hermione shuffled off out of the way from the doors and over to the fireplaces instead. Knowing that if she went home she would sit and mull over the situation at hand and not solve anything, she instead Floo'd to a pub nearby Godric's Hollow and made the short walk over to visit Harry.

She was amazed when she saw the house, the outside now completely resorted, the roof fixed, new panes of glass in all of the windows; it had come on extremely quickly since she had last seen it.

"Harry?" She called out as she made her way down the small garden path, pushing the front door open wider than it had been to see him coming out of what she guessed would have been the living room.

The inside, although fully constructed needed a lot more work doing to it, empty of furniture and walls still drying from a new coat of plaster to make them as smooth as they had once been. But it all clearly had potential and she could see that her friend had been very hard at work.

"Hey Hermione." He grinned at her, "Good to see you."

"You too, this is looking amazing Harry! So different to the last time I was here, you've done brilliantly."

"It's not too hard when you get the hand of the construction spells, you should have seen some of my first attempts at sorting out these walls, you wouldn't have been so impressed." He still however looked very proud of himself, glad of the praise that she had given. "So what brings you here?"

Hermione shrugged, "Finished work early so I just thought that I could do with seeing a friendly face instead of sitting on my own all night."

She wasn't sure why, the sentence had seemed simple enough, but saying it brought tears to her eyes and tightened her throat with the pain that sadness brings.

"Oh Hermione." Harry said softly and pulled his friend into a hug, "I wish I could make things better for you."

"Me too." She whispered quietly.

The rest of her evening was spent helping Harry salvage what was left of the kitchen, neither mentioned Charlie's name, but a sadness emanated from Hermione that made it seem that no matter what it was they were discussing her mind was really with him.

When Hermione came home she found a letter from Ginny, but she put it aside, too tired to read it at that time and instead went straight to her bed. But once there she tossed and turned and could not get comfortable. It was cold and cramped alone in her single bed, and although she had only been sleeping differently for just shy of two months she could not seem to be able to get the feeling of comfort and ease that sleeping alone had come to her after just a few short days when she and Ron had ended things. So when morning came at last she felt even wearier than she had the previous evening.

Days passed and Hermione remained in her restless state, and soon a month had gone by since she had returned home almost without her realising it. This was only brought to her attention when, one evening, returning home from work she found a howler sat atop the ever growing pile of unread letters that she still had not found the energy to open and read.

Knowing that this one at least she could not ignore she gave a sigh and opened it, bracing herself for the onslaught that she had coming to her.

_"HERMIONE GRANGER!" _came Ginny's voice, impressively shrill for someone who was still only seventeen. _"IT HAS BEEN _WEEKS _AND NO ONE HAS HEARD ANYTHING FROM YOU! YOU HAVEN'T OWLED; HARRY SAYS YOU WONT EVEN OPEN THE DOOR. IF I HAVEN'T HAD AN OWL FROM YOU BY WEDNESDAY MORNING I AM LEAVING MY EXAMS AND COMING TO SORT YOU OUT MYSELF! IT'S GEORGE'S BRITHDAY NEXT WEEK AND YOU _WILL _BE THERE. NO EXCUSES."  
_

With that the letter tore itself to shreds and each tiny piece of paper exploded in a small puff of smoked.

Knowing her well enough Hermione was sure that Ginny would be true to her word and forget about her exams if the need arose, and so, with no other choice she sat at the kitchen table, pulled a sheet of parchment and a quill from her bag and began to write –

_Ginny, _

_I'm fine there's no need to worry, I've just been busy with work so haven't really been at Grimmauld Place a great deal. _

_Sorry I didn't write sooner. _

_I don't think I'll be free next week so I'll have to give the birthday party a miss.  
_

She didn't even bother coming up with a reason, knowing that whatever lie she concocted would be picked apart by her friend if it was believed at all, and so Hermione simply signed her name and took the letter to the post office just in time to catch the evening post.

She returned home the next evening to find Harry sitting on the doorstep.

"What are you doing?" She asked as she got close.

"Waiting for you" he shrugged, getting up and stretching out his arms as though he had been sat there for quite a while.

"And did you not thing that, with this being your house and all, you could have waited inside?" she questioned, confused.

Again Harry shrugged, "Didn't want to disturb you, this way you have a choice whether you let me inside or not."

"Don't be stupid, of course you can come in."

Habitually they made their way into the kitchen to take a seat, it had been the place where they had all come together while this was the Order's head quarters and then when the three had stayed in what would have been their final year at Hogwarts this was where they had sat most days to plan their moves. Hermione found that, even when she was on her own she could not settle in another room as comfortably as she could in this one.

"So was there a reason for your visit?" Hermione asked bluntly, instantly regretting how hard her words had sounded.

"Ginny asked me to, actually, she's worried about you, we all are, and we want to know what we can do to help you."

"You make me sound like an invalid," She laughed, unsuccessfully trying to bat away his concern, "There's nothing wrong with me. I'm fine."

"Look at yourself Hermione; we can both clearly see that that's not true."

A month of little rest and little care for herself had left Hermione looking gaunt; she had lost weight, but too much too quickly, leaving her looking ill and weak.

"When was the last time that you had a proper meal?"

Opening her mouth to answer him, she was unable to make a sound, casting her mind quickly back she tried to give an answer but found she was unable to do so, last night she had nibbled at a piece of toast and the night before that she had gone straight to bed, not even stopping for food upon her return home.

"I'm fine." She said again, a little more forcefully, although this time she was unsure whether it was her friend she was trying to convince, or herself.

"Let me take you out for a meal?" Harry suggested, "It's been so long and I'd like to catch up."

After a short pause he added, "And Ginny will be home this weekend, she's going to have almost as big as fit as her mum will when they see you like this. You should at least prepare your stomach for the force feeding they're going to give you."

Knowing that he was right Hermione agreed.

She didn't eat much at dinner, just picked at the plate that was put in front of her, nor did she speak much, not that she had a lot to say having filled her time with little other than work. So instead Harry filled her in on the goings on in his own life. The house was finished, quicker than he imagined it would have been, but he was still living at the Burrow for now, he had decided that he would wait the further two months Ginny had left of school so that they could move in at the same time and make their mark upon the house at the same time, making sure it was truly theirs together. When he spoke of it, Hermione noticed that a serene look came about his face, a look of true peace and comfort that he had found the woman that he would spend the rest of his life with. As happy as she was for her friend she couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy, a month ago she had thought that she had found someone who could in time bring the same look to her own face, but it seemed that she was sadly mistaken.

For the next week Harry dropped in every evening and would either take her out to eat somewhere or he would have brought food along with him and by the middle of the week Hermione found that she was looking forward to his visits and to having human contact with someone other than her work colleagues, someone who she knew cared about her.

So by the time the weekend came, although she was still dreading the idea of the birthday celebrations she was more optimistic that she was going to go through them than she had been the previous weekend when Ginny's howler had greeted her. Which was just as well as a knock came on the front door at seven o' clock on Saturday morning, relentless until it had roused Hermione from her bed and forced her to get up to open it.

Ginny was standing on her doorstep, still dressed in Hogwarts robes, a large grin on her face, one that faltered slightly upon seeing the state of her friend, but returned within the second that followed.

"I assumed that you hadn't had it in you to get George a present, so I thought that it would fall on me to come and help you out. It's not like you can trust one of the boys to remind you now is it?"

"Ginny, what are you doing here?" It was still too early for Hermione's brain to fully comprehend what her friend was going on about.

"It's George's birthday," Ginny told her slowly, as though talking to a small child.

"Yes I know that," Hermione sighed, "I mean why are you here and not at school, I didn't think that they'd let you have a whole day out."

"Well what they don't know won't kill them." Ginny beamed, "There's a Ravenclaw Slytherin match this afternoon anyway so no one's going to miss me for the extra few hours that I'll be away."

She pushed past her friend and made her way inside the house, "Now I sent my bag straight home, so I'm going to have to borrow something of yours while we shop."


End file.
